Bacon Cheddar Scones

For the first thirty or so years of my life, I was firmly in the sweets camp. The more French toast, cinnamon rolls, pancakes, parfaits, cereals, you name it…the merrier. But in my early thirties, my body seemed to suddenly flip a switch and now all I crave in the mornings is savory, savory, savory. Especially when I feel like actually cooking, and not just making avocado toast. Quiches, breakfast tacos, hash browns, grain bowls, savory scones, and anything and everything egg-y are my jam. (<– Hehe, or technically, my jam replacement.)

But that said, as much as I love a good savory brunch, I will still forever and always crave a strong cup of coffee and a cold glass of orange juice to balance them out. Savory…then sweet…then savory…then sweet…the back-and-forth for me is where it’s at.

And when I say orange juice, I’m talkin’ this stuff right here — not-from-concentrate Florida’s Natural® Brand Orange Juice. (And yes, I fall in the “more-pulp-the-merrier” camp as well.) I’m so excited to partner with this brand again in 2017 as part of their new Brunch Club, mostly because I’ve been a lifelong fan of their juice. It’s not-from-concentrate, and contains zero added water, sugars, or preservatives. But mainly, I love their orange juices because they’re all made from one simple ingredient — ORANGES. Grown in Florida, of course, by hard-working Florida farmers. (One of whom I even had the chance to meet — very inspiring!)

Anyway, I pretty much always have a carton of this orange juice in my fridge, and pour myself a small glass every morning to go with my coffee and breakfast. And scones like these are the perfect kind of savory dish I love to balance out the sweet juice.

And bonus? They’re so simple to make!

Just whip up a simple batter for scones, with a generous handful of cooked bacon bits, cheddar cheese, and green chives (or green onions) all mixed in. Then give it a good knead until everything comes together, roll out the dough on a floured surface, and fold it over and re-roll it twice so that those biscuits will rise nice and high.

Then, you can use either a biscuit cutter to cut out individual scones. OR you can roll out the dough into a large circle, and use a pizza cutter to cut it into triangle slices. Up to you!

Brush the dough with an easy egg wash, if you’d like the tops to be extra crispy and golden.

Then about 20 minutes later, these scrumptious savory scones will be yours to share and enjoy, with a cup of orange juice on the side! Perfect for brunch with friends, or anytime you’re ready for a comforting and delicious start to the day.

Bacon Cheddar Scones

These Bacon Cheddar Scones are full of big savory flavors, they’re quick and easy to make, and SO delicious!

Total Time:35 mins

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:20 mins

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour (or white whole wheat flour)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

pinch of cayenne

10 tablespoons cold butter, diced into 1/4-inch cubes

1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

8 slices of thick-cut bacon, cooked and diced

1 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk

optional egg wash: 1 egg, 1 tablespoon water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or grease with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne until combined.

Add the diced butter to the flour mixture, and use a fork (or your hands) to cut in the butter until the mixture resembles thick, coarse crumbs.

Stir in the cheese, chives and bacon until combined. Then pour in the buttermilk, and knead the mixture with your hands until the dough is evenly combined.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and use a rolling pin to roll it out until it is 1/2-inch thick. Fold the dough in half horizontally, and then fold it in half again vertically (so that there are 4 layers in there). Then roll the dough out again and roll until it is about 1/2-inch thick. Use a biscuit cutter to cut out the biscuits (re-rolling the dough when necessary), and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.

Optional: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg and water until combined. Then brush the egg wash on top of the biscuits, so that the tops will be nice and golden.

If you ever find your way down to Central Florida where I live, check out Florida’s Natural’s Visitor Center in Lake Wales – right across from the plant.

It’s only opened for a part of the year and is a great free (!) place to check out, get some awesome juice samples to try, pick up some really cute souvenirs (even lovely household goods, aprons, tea towels, etc.!) and delectable goodies (i.e. Florida-inspired candies, jams, etc.), and learn the interesting history behind Florida’s Natural.

Living here in Orlando (just about an hour north of Lake Wales), I can’t believe it took me so long to finally visit just a few months ago. Really nice place and super friendly folks! :)

Since you have a relationship with Florida Natural, perhaps you could pass on to them to make their product in smaller sizes, like quarts, for example. The large container currently on the market gets old before I can finish it. I am unable to drink OJ every day but do like it occasionally.

I want to try this for our “BREAKFAST WITH FRIENDS” but need to know how many it makes. Would you please add that to the recipe for all to see. We have the meal on Tuesday so if you can email me I’d appreciate it lots. Thank you! Kathleen

Hi Kathleen! The yield is actually listed in the recipe — it’s located above the recipe name in the recipe box. There is a little spoon and fork icon next to it. This makes about 15 scones. We hope you enjoy!

Hey, I’m Ali!

My favorite thing in the world is spending time around the table with good people and good food. So I created this blog full of simple, speedy, and irresistibly delicious recipes that are perfect for sharing with those you love. ♥ more about me »